Definition of 17 Rhesus monkey histocompatibility antigens, including one new antigen.

The lymphocytotoxic activity of 144 rhesus allonantisera was evaluated in 112 unrelated rhesus monkeys and 33 pedigreed rhesus families. This study was conducted using a standard complement-dependent microcytotoxicity assay. A computer-assisted chi2 analysis of the reactivity of these sera in the unrelated monkeys generated 23 groups of highly correlated antisera. The two-locus model of the mammalian major histocompatibility complex was assumed for the monkey, and genetic criteria for RhLA antigens were determined prior to study. Seventeen groups of antisera met these predetermined criteria. Six were products of the B locus and 11 were products of the A locus. Sixteen were similar or identical to antigens previously described by us or by Balner and coworkers in The Netherlands. One has not been previously described. A frequency analysis indicated that these 17 antigens represented approximately 74% of the total expression of these two loci.